Do you believe the flu shot will give you the flu? If so, you are one of 43% of Americans with that same common misconception. We are here to help debunk that myth, and explain why the flu shot truly is beneficial for you and your company.
The Myth
A recent study showed that almost half of Americans believe they will get sick from the flu shot. These same people tend to stand firm in this belief. When presented with corrective information, they were even less likely to get vaccinated in defense of their original beliefs.
The Truth
While these misconceptions run rampant, the truth is, it is scientifically impossible to get the flu from the flu shot. The confusion commonly stems from these four flu shot truths.
First, the vaccine is made either from a dead or inactive version of the flu virus or without the virus at all. The vaccine causes the body to develop antibodies to the live flu virus. These antibodies might take up to two weeks to develop, so it is possible to catch the flu from another person within two weeks of being vaccinated.
Second, some people might have mild side effects from the vaccine. This is the body’s normal response to a foreign substance, and can include slight body aches and nausea, or a low-grade fever. These side effects are completely normal, and not indicative of the onset of the flu virus.
Third, a typical area of confusion is in the strain of flu that you might get. The flu shot helps people build immunity to the few strains of the flu projected to spread that year. If a different strain emerges, the vaccine won’t prevent you from contracting that strain, but might help with the severity of your symptoms.
Finally, many people mistake symptoms of other illnesses for signs of the flu. Many other diseases, including the common cold, come with flu-like symptoms. So, even though you think you have the flu, you might not! While many people associate these four truths with sickness stemming from the vaccination, that’s simply not the case.
The Benefits
Even among the common misconceptions, the benefits of being vaccinated against the flu, and offering this vaccination to your employees are boundless. You and your company can benefit by:
- Not contracting the flu and therefore not feeling ill (of course!)
- Maintaining healthy employees, therefore limiting the number of sick days taken
- Ensuring productivity by maintaining healthy employees
- Avoiding mass spread of the flu among employees
Check out this ROI flu shot calculator to determine the total cost a flu outbreak can have on your company.
In the end, you and your employees can benefit from being vaccinated. The risks of receiving the flu shot are far fewer than the rewards, and remember, you cannot get the flu from the vaccination!
How have you promoted flu shots to your employees this year?
